Wales seeks improvement in animal welfare

Eleanor Mackay
· 24 July, 2014

The Welsh government has announced plans to improve animal health and welfare over the next 10 years.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Rebecca Evans revealed The Animal Health and Welfare Framework, which will be rolled out over 10 years and will ensure more “partnership” between government and industry, as well as more monitoring and evaluations.

“The way we treat animals, whether they are kept on a farm or live in our homes, is an important reflection of our society’s values and I am keen to ensure we continue to raise the bar when it comes to animal health and welfare standards in Wales,” said Evans.

“This new framework offers us the opportunity to introduce lasting improvements in health and welfare standards for all animals in Wales. This is vitally important to our food producers and essential in helping us sustain a profitable farming industry.”

Evans also announced how the framework will help in the “prevention and eradication” of animal disease: “Disease outbreaks can have wide and costly consequences for public health, the economy and the environment, so achieving high standards of animal health and welfare should be an important issue for us all.”

A specialised panel of industry experts including vets and livestock owners have been selected to advise the government on implementing the framework and to raise key industry issues.

“As our farmers and pet owners of the future, children and young people have a role to play. That is why I have also published a simplified version of framework that includes an explanation of our commitments to improve animal health and welfare in Wales and an invites young people to get involved,” Evans concluded.